He's Finally Mine - A Fanfic by Vervain

So... I decided it was time I try my hand at writing, and couldn't think of a better place to start than writing a romantic fan-fiction about one of my favourite videogame characters. This is my own take on Sebastian's 10 heart event in Stardew Valley. After reading other fan-fictions about Seb, I felt inspired to write my own adaptation. This is my first real story, and I usually only write short poetry. I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it!

SPOILER ALERT! Obviously this reveals what happens in Sebastian's 10 heart event, so if you're waiting on seeing that yourself (it's cute AF) then you might want to hold off on reading this until then.
- Published 29th October 2020 -

    It had been an extremely busy day. Autumn seemed to be racing past so quickly, with the first signs of winter already looming on the horizon. I'd spent all week making preparations for the freezing nights ahead, where I'd have little to no crops and only the produce from my animals to keep me in business. Each day had been a rush to squeeze every last berry, cob and grain out of my field, then get the produce sold before the cold set in.

    Although a stressful time for any farmer, I couldn't help but admire the beauty of the world around me as I worked. The trees looked stunning in their orange and brown coat of leaves, which were fast falling in the windy evening. The hedgerows were bursting with all kinds of wonderful forage, from ripe hazelnuts to blackberries. Soon it would all disappear, as the birds and squirrels snapped up everything they could in preparation for their own struggle.

    With all of my work for the day finished and the light beginning to fade, a sense of sadness settled over me. It had been a great year, the farm had done well and I was really starting to feel at home, yet there was still something missing. The folk of Pelican town were a great bunch, and invited me into their community from the very moment I set foot in the valley. Yet I couldn't seem to chase away that feeling of loneliness that had been gnawing at me for a while. There was of course one person who I dreamed about. He lived across the other side of town, and I would often find myself wandering over there in hopes of seeing him... I caught my mind wandering again, and scoffed. He didn't even notice me.

    Although tired from the labour of the day, I felt restless and decided to take a walk out to the town. I'd been so busy with my crops over the last few weeks and hadn't left the farm once, so I figured a change of scenery might help. The path was full of leaves that had blown up against the old wooden fences lining the trail, and they crunched satisfyingly underfoot as I waded through them.

    The town was quiet, as you might expect on such a chilly night. All the shops were locked up and the streets dark, with only the glow of warming light escaping the various homes lining the cobbled streets. Before long, I caught the sound of music and voices in the wind. Just down the road at the town's one and only saloon, many of the locals were gathered, chatting and singing away happily. It was a Friday after all, who could blame them. I entertained myself with the idea of joining them for a drink or two as I approached the building. A few of them greeted me, and I stopped to say hello, taking the opportunity to peer through the door and see who was there.

    "Join us for a drink!" suggested Lewis, the town's ageing Mayor. I pondered the idea for a few seconds, but concluded that I'd prefer to keep walking. With that sadness still biting at the back of my mind, I wasn't in the mood for socialising. After saying my farewells and wishing everyone the best, I carried on with my journey.

    From the saloon, I followed the winding path up through the edge of the town and along the river. The rippling, black water looked freezing, its surface gently shimmering in the moonlight. I kept away from the banks, not wanting to risk slipping in. Higher north, above the last buildings of the town, the distant flicker of fire could be made out near the trees.

    "Poor old Linus" I muttered. One of the more interesting townsfolk lived in a tent and relied on the forage of the land (and occasionally some leftovers he could scavenge from the bins around town) for food. Winter would be tough for him, and I had already set aside a small store of surplus food as I couldn't bear to think of him going hungry. Perhaps he was sitting out, enjoying the evening. I hadn't seen him at the saloon earlier. The idea of visiting him bounced back and forth in my mind as I tried to decide whether I felt like it or not, when a loud roar tore across my thoughts and snapped me back into the cold night.

    A short way ahead of me was the home of the town's carpenter, whom I'd frequently visited for her skills in constructing barns and outbuildings for my animals. I knew her pretty well, and her skills had been indispensable to my success, but there was another reason I liked to visit so often that I couldn't bring myself to admit to. Her son, a slim built twenty-something with long purple hair and an intriguing, shy personality. Shortly after arriving in Pelican town, I spotted him one evening, smoking by the lake. I couldn't forget his face, and ever since had always hoped to run into him. Often I made detours or even complete journeys for no other reason than to try and wander into him. It took me a while to even find out his name. Sebastian. For over two years, I'd tried to find ways to talk to him. He could be very introverted, and spent much of his time in his bedroom, so it had proved hard to find opportunities to see him. This young man was the one who I'd spent so long dreaming about, and now as I stood on the dark path, I realised the roar was his motorbike, on which he was climbing onto.

    I was still a short distance away, he probably hadn't spotted me. After trying to get his attention recently, I'd gone to some lengths, giving him extravagant gifts and searching through the pouring rain to find out where he liked to hide. He seemed to like me as a friend, but was probably tired of me turning up all the time. It was probably beginning to look weird, and so I decided to turn about and get away before I was spotted.

    "Vervain, I almost didn't see you there" came his soft but clear voice over the noise of the bike's engine. "What are you doing out on a night like this?" he enquired.

    It was too late now, he knew it was me and there was no escape. The only reason I'd ventured this far north of town was because of this chance, and now that it was happening, panic began to grip my stomach. I turned, and began to walk towards him. He was a dark silhouette atop his bike, the lights of the house shining behind him and casting him into shadow. The bike purred smoothly in the quiet of the night, and even though I couldn't yet see his face, I could feel his eyes on me.

    "I... I was just taking a walk. Needed to clear my mind, you know?" My voice was a little shaky, I hoped he didn't notice. I wasn't normally nervous, except around him.

    "I understand" he replied. For a few seconds he seemed to pause, gazing at the ground as if deep in thought. Then quite suddenly he looked up. "Maybe you'd like to join me on a ride?"

    My heart skipped. I'd never spent any real amount of time with him, aside from a couple of chances around the town. This might be the first opportunity to really get to know him a bit.

    "Yes, I'd like that." I replied in a more confident voice. Thank goodness I hadn't chosen to stay at the saloon for a drink! I approached him, and could now see his face. He looked as handsome as ever, and the light behind him only seemed to accentuate his thin but perfectly shaped jawline, framed by his thick purple hair. I looked at the bike, and climbed onto the small seat behind him. My hands searched for something to hold on the bike, but there was nothing.

    "Sorry, there's not anything to hold really, you'll have to wrap your arms around me. I hope that's okay?" he said over his shoulder.

    I blushed, hard. My cheeks turned redder than the summer strawberries. I prayed he wouldn't look back and see me, he'd probably freak out. After a few seconds, I mustered the courage to slowly reach around him. Beneath his thick hoodie I could feel his thin yet surprisingly toned stomach. For somebody who spent much of his time working at a computer, he seemed in good shape.

    No sooner had I secured my arms around him, the engine roared and we lurched forwards. He kicked confidently off the ground, and we began quickly accelerating forwards into the dark. I gripped a little tighter and lifted my feet away from the gravel below. The cold air rushed across my face, and the smell of autumn intensified as we moved noisily along the tree-lined road. Despite the cold, I could feel Sebastian's warmth against my front. I looked up at the sky to see a blaze of stars, broken only by the mostly bare treeline. To my right, the moon sat low above the horizon, casting a long shadow over everything around us. We slowly began to climb out of the valley, and it struck me that in all my time here, I'd only ever ventured this road via the bus, probably just two or three times at best..

    Soon, our little valley was far behind us, with only the dark road and mosaic of woodland & fields around us. I looked out towards a steadily sloped hill and made out what seemed to be a small, meandering road that branched off the main route. No sooner had I spotted it, we began to slow down before turning deftly towards it. The narrow lane twisted and turned constantly, and the trees almost covered the road entirely, blocking out the night sky. As we banked each turn, I kept a tight grip on Sebastian, who seemed to be in his own world as he negotiated each change in the road.

    Our final turn lined us up with what appeared to be a sharp, cliff like edge. As the trees thinned, a faint glow became visible just over the outcropping. We began to slow, and I realised that we had left the road in exchange for thick, damp grass. As the edge of the cliff grew close, the bike rolled to a gentle stop, and we both placed our feet down to support ourselves.

    Sebastian flicked the stand down, and after I untangled my arms from him, we dismounted the bike. With the engine off, the peaceful sound of the wind and the gentle shuffelling of dry leaves became once again noticeable. As I took in the surroundings around me, I noticed Sebastian had started walking up towards the ledge and was now gesturing for me to follow him. With the cover of trees fading behind me, the moon now clearly lit the outcropping, and I could see him waiting for me. His face seemed almost bright in contrast to his dark hair, and his features shone. I moved towards him, almost skipping in excitement before catching myself and trying to act normal.

    We walked up the steep ledge to the very edge. The faint glow that was visible from below suddenly made itself known. Far off in the distance, the cityscape lay sprawled out, nestled between an endless sea of dark woodland and valleys in each direction. Although distant, the skyscrapers and huge buildings could be seen plainly, and the vast amount of light from the metropolis poured into the sky, glowing a yellowish-amber colour. I stopped at the cliff ledge, standing close to Sebastian, who turned his head slightly towards me.

    "That's Zuzu city over in the distance" he said softly. "I come here when I want to get away from everything and just... think." I stared out towards the thousands of flickering lights, almost lost in the beauty of the night. It truly seemed to take my mind away, as if all the stresses and worries of the previous weeks had drifted off with the wind.

    For a few seconds Sebastian also gazed out over the city, before turning away. He took a cigarette and lighter from his pocket, and lit it downwind of me. Although I wasn't a fan of smoking, it didn't really bother me, and I thought it was very kind of him to move so the smoke didn't blow across me. He took several long drags, before exhaling deeply. He stood facing just slightly away from me, and seemed to be once again deep in thought as he gazed at the dark grass.

    After a few more drags, he turned his head towards me and asked "So, what do you think"?

    I looked back to the city for a second. The view was beautiful, although almost haunting in a strange way. Seeing the city for the first time in two years echoed a distant reminder of my old life. The life that nearly tore me apart, with the long office hours and dangerous streets. I definitely wasn't a city boy, and had soon found myself to be at one with my new rural home. I considered my response, but as I tried to put my feelings into words, I simply mumbled before panicking and quickly blurting something almost random out.

    "You should quit smoking" I abruptly said.

    My heart sank. For the first time ever, the man of my dreams stood before me, having taken me to a beautiful scenic spot where we could be alone. Within seconds of being here I was already ruining it. What a foolish, silly thing to say! I bit my tongue, angry at myself for what I'd just done, and looked up at him almost apologetically. He looked a little annoyed, and dropped the cigarette into the wet grass, extinguishing it with his foot.

    "Ugh... You sound like my mum" he retorted. He was absolutely right. Who was I to make such a judgement on his lifestyle choices. My stomach clenched, and I feared what he may say next. To my relief, he let out a long sigh, and his face softened.

    I stood quietly, considering what I might be able to say to redeem myself, before he continued.

    "This city used to draw me in..." He paused for several seconds. "But now I'm finding myself happier at home in the valley."

    I wondered what he meant. For as long as I'd known him, he had talked about moving to the city to chase a new life. I tried to imagine what could have possibly changed to make him reconsider life in the little town he grew up in.

    I looked up, and my gaze met his. I wanted to look away, it felt almost rude to stare, but I couldn't seem to tear my eyes away from him. We remained motionless, and he continued looking at me. His face seemed to show a mixture of emotions. It seemed he was nervous, perhaps embarrassed even. One side of his mouth lifted slightly in an odd kind of half smile, and I noticed he'd gone somewhat red in the cheeks. It was a bashful, adorable look, and I could tell he had something to say to me but was struggling to put it into words.

    In my mind, I began to process what was going on. Could it be that.. he liked me back? Surely not! Yet as I played back our encounters, the pieces finally began to fall into place a little. Now that I looked back, there were many signs that I'd not considered. How did I miss all of this? Tonight was the very definition of a romantic act, and I hadn't even noticed. I was so convinced that it was all in my head, that I'd dismissed all of these events.

    My heart began to pound, and my stomach filled with butterflies. I felt almost sick, and I caught myself beginning to breathe heavily.

    "Um..." He shyly said, looking at the ground and back at me. "I've never.." he paused again, looking back down. "I've never felt anything like this with another guy before. But you're different."

    I couldn't believe this was happening. Sebastian, the most beautiful guy I'd ever laid eyes on. His rebellious yet soothingly kind personality had ensnared me from the very first time we met. He was absolutely perfect to me, and now it suddenly seemed that he might also have feelings in return! A smile began to cross my face and I made no attempt to hide it. I could feel my cheeks beginning to glow, and I began blushing furiously as the gravity of his words sank in.

    "You know what I'm trying to say, don't you?" He asked quietly. Of course I knew, and yet I was so blindsided by it all that I could barely bring myself to respond. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, my mind seemed to clear a little. He was still looking at me with that adorable look, and I noticed him turning towards me and closing the gap between us slightly.

    My mind cleared, and I turned to face him. I stepped slightly forwards, closing the gap some more, whilst maintaining eye contact. The moon cast its soft light across his face, and I couldn't even begin to process how beautiful he looked. The gap closed slowly between us, and his hands gently touched mine. I slid my fingers into his, interlocking them like two pieces of a puzzle. Still looking into his dark, enticing eyes, we leaned gently into one another. We were now just inches apart, and I could feel him pulling me towards him still. I closed my eyes as the space between us vanished, and his soft lips met mine. Our hands slowly wrapped around each other's waists, pulling us tightly together.

    The world around us faded. I could only feel him. His warmth and reassuring hold cradled me in safety, shutting out the cold night around us. We held tight together, his strong pounding heartbeat now thumping against my chest. This was one of the most incredible moments of my life, and I still could not believe it was real. I couldn't even put into words how lucky I felt, or to know that after all this time, the very thing I'd dreamed about for so long was actually happening.

    After a short while, we released one another and stepped slightly back. I looked into his eyes. He was smiling in his usual gorgeous way, and I was certainly blushing once more. He seemed overjoyed, perhaps also feeling great relief knowing that I had feelings for him too. After a long pause, he resumed his shy expression and looked down for a short time.

    "I. I'd really like it if we could..." He stared at the ground. I gently lifted my hand forward, touching his. He took my hand, and looked back up at me. Finally after a moment, he almost whispered the rest of his sentence to me. "If we could be... partners?"

    I was surely dreaming. My knees felt weak, and my stomach was so full of butterflies that I feared I may be sick.

    "I'd love that" I replied quietly, my voice shaking with joy.

    His smile broadened as he began to pull me closer once more. We embraced one another in a tight hug, and I gently kissed his neck. We remained in one another's arms for what must have been hours, even though it felt like seconds. I never wanted this moment to end.

    It was getting very late, and a frost was beginning to settle onto the dark grass around us. Still hand in hand, he led me back towards his bike. We climbed on, and Sebastian kicked down on the pedal, bringing the engine back to life. I wrapped my arms around him once more, laying my head on his back and taking in what had just happened. We began moving forwards, and set off into the night.

    I didn't think the valley could possibly feel any more like home than it already did, but now as we sped back towards the faint lights of Pelican town, I truly felt like I was going home to the place of my dreams.

Written by Vervain McDready. Sebastian character and Stardew Valley are copyright items of ConcernedApe studios. I make no attempt here to claim ownership of these items, this is a fan fiction interpretation of a fictional event, and does not represent the views or opinions of the copyright owner.